Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater, the apparatus including a sampler. The wastewater analyzing apparatus comprises furthermore an analyzer for determining at least one water or wastewater parameter.
The invention is based on the object of providing an apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater which furnishes exact values, is insensitive to soilage and is suitable for field-analysis.
This object is achieved by an apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater as it reads from claim 1. The subject matter of the invention furthermore relates to a method for cleaning a membrane filter of a sampler in an apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater permitting safe operation both in water and clarifying tanks and requiring no separate supply of fresh water. Advantageous aspects of the invention read from the dependent claims.
In accordance with the invention for obtaining a sample the water or wastewater to be analyzed is directed through a membrane filter before then being supplied to the analyzer.
To maintain the membrane clean the complete sampler in the clarifying tank may be arranged, for example, in a region of high turbulence or strong gas supply.
Cleaning the membrane is furthermore assisted by the apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater including a separate gas feed for flushing the filter medium with gas. In this case the sampler may also be arranged in a region of a water or clarifying tank exposed to less turbulence or gas flow, the gas feeder then being preferably provided below the membrane.
The apparatus for analyzing water and wastewater may comprise e.g. a separate sample space supplied via a feed conduit from a water or clarifying tank. The membrane may also be arranged directly in a water or clarifying tank, however, so that the latter forms the sample space.
In one extremely advantageous aspect of the invention a backwash means is provided which charges the membrane from the filtrate space with fresh water or gas, as a result of which soilage of the membrane is forced into the sample space. A stand-alone apparatus independent of a fresh water and gas supply is achieved when during normal activity the filtrate from the filtrate space is stored in a permeate space and the backwash means making use of the filtered water from the permeate space for backwashing the membrane. In this case an effective cleaning of the membrane is possible without fresh water or gas. In the normal filter/analysis mode the filtrate may be continually pumped or piped into the permeate space, the effluent from the permeate space forming the overflow which is returned to the permeate space or tank. In this case the permeate space receives a continual supply of fresh permeate so that the formation of organic matter in the permeate space is eliminated. Preferably the feed and discharge to/from the permeate space are configured so that a linear flow is maintained therein in normal operation. The backwasher may be connected in addition to a cleaning agent supply, for example, to a cleaning agent tank by means of which a cleaning solution may be supplied to the filtrate space. Preferably the backwasher is formed by a pump capable of creating a suitable overflow in the filtrate space to flush out soilage, particularly of an organic nature, from the membrane in the direction of the sample space.
In another aspect of the invention, highly non-susceptible to soilage, an ultrasonic generator is arranged in the region of the membrane, preferably in the filtrate space which produces a corresponding vibration in the water in the region of the membrane and thus maintains the membrane free from clogging-up. This ultrasonic generator may be, for example, a piezo element. The ultrasonic generator is preferably controlled by the analyzer controller.
The backwasher, ultrasonic generator as well as the separate gas feeder may, of course, also be combined to eliminate soilage of the membrane more effectively in the clarifying tank soiled by organic matter.
In one highly compact and user-friendly aspect of the invention the analyzer and the sampler are configured integrated with the membrane filter in a single housing which may be immersed in a water or clarifying tank. In this case the complete water and wastewater analyzer apparatus is field-located, resulting in neither a separate location on the edge of the tank or in a building of the clarifying plant for the analyzer nor a separate sampler needing to be made available. Due to the fact that the complete sampler including sample space, filtrate space, analyzer and, where necessary, a gas feeder, an ultrasonic generator and a backwasher are all configured integrated, all that is needed is an soilage-resistant immersible housing which may be immersed in a water or clarifying tank without disturbing operation. From thus unit a cable may be led out for directly retrieving a signal for the desired water or wastewater parameter, for example, nitrate or phosphate value, nitrite or ammonia value.
It is, of course, also possible to equip the integrated arrangement with a transceiver system via which the measurement results may be wireless transmitted to a receiver in a building of the clarifying plant, for example, for central process control. The integrated device may thus receive also control parameters from an external controller. In such a wireless transmission system it would also be possible to check the operating status of the water and wastewater analyzer such as, for example, battery status, chemicals and cleaning agent status and the operating values of pumps to obtain an indication as to the pressure drop across the membrane filter.
However, the analyzer does not need to already furnish the final values, but merely values which may be interpreted by an analyzer for determining the measurement parameters. Preferably, however, the analyzer is likewise arranged in the integrated unit.
In the integrated immersible arrangement the sample space is preferably formed by a sieve or a perforated outer wall of the housing, it being in this way that ingress of coarse particles of dirt into the sample space is eliminated. In the sample space the membrane filter is then provided which is advantageously flushed by the gas feeder, the gas feed port of which is arranged in the lower portion of the sample space. The resulting turbulences clean the membrane surface. As an alternative it is, of course, just as possible to also allow the membrane filter to come into direct contact with the surrounding medium of the water or clarifying tank, as a result of which the membrane filter forms the equivalent of an outer wall of the housing.
Preferably the immersion probe is held by a positioning rod in the water or clarifying tank. Preferably the positioning rod protrudes from the water and may, for example, feature surface-mounted solar-cells for operating the electric components of the analyzer. Wiring, or conduits for feeding cleaning agents and reagents, may also be configured in the positioning rod. When use is made of solar-cells a rechargeable battery is preferably provided in the immersion probe which is charged via the solar-cells and furnishes the current needed to power pumps, electric valves or an ultrasonic unit.